Compartment selector device in a log sorter

ABSTRACT

Selector device, in particular a compartment selector device in a log sorter, having rods moving synchronously with the sorting conveyor and connected at both ends with adjacent rods, and on each rod slides movable in their longitudinal direction, means for stopping the slide set into motion with the aid of gravity by dropping it from the upper end of the rod at desired point on the rod, means for further transfer of the pulse transmitted by the slide to triggering, counting or other elements by electrical means, said elements being placeable at desired points on the path of the rods, and controls arranged to move the slides which have been stopped on the rods into their neutral initial position on the rods. The rods are mounted radially on a wheel rotating in vertical plane supported by a body and on the body on its side facing the rods there are fitted grooves having the shape of the perimeter of a circle and arranged one upon the other. Along the grooves the slides or beads on the rods are guided to move, and dropping of the slides to be positioned opposite to desired groove is arranged to take place most appropriately at the highest point of the device, where the grooves are cut so as to enable the slides to be dropped.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Erltkl T. Lehtola Kasklnen, Finland[21] Appl. No. 30,129

[22] Filed Apr. 20, 1970 [45] Patented Jan. 11, 1972 [73] Assignee 0yTahka Ab.

Kaskinen, Finland [32] Priority Apr. 21, 1969 3 3] Finland I 54]COMPARTMENT SELECTOR DEVICE IN A LOG Primary Examiner-Allen N. KnowlesAn0rneys Lorimer P. Brooks, Alfred L. Haffner, Jr., Harold Haidt, G.Thomas Delahunty, Albert M. Parker and Charles G. Mueller ABSTRACT:Selector device, in particular a compartment selector device in a logsorter, having rods moving synchronously with the sorting conveyor andconnected at both ends with adjacent rods, and on each rod slidesmovable in their longitudinal direction, means for stopping the slideset into motion with the aid of gravity by dropping it from the upperend of the rod at desired point on the rod, means for further transferof the pulse transmitted by the slide to triggering, counting or otherelements by electrical means, said elements being placeable at desiredpoints on the path of the rods, and controls arranged to move the slidesWhlCh have been stopped on the rods into their neutral initial positionon the rods. The rods are mounted radially on a wheel rotating invertical plane supported by a body and on the body on its side facingthe rods there are fitted grooves having the shape of the perimeter of acircle and arranged one upon the other. Along the grooves the slides orbeads on the rods are guided to move, and dropping of the slides to bepositioned opposite to desired groove is arranged to take place mostappropriately at the highest point of the device, where the grooves arecut so as to enable the slides to be dropped.

COMPARTMENT SELECTOR DEVICE IN A LOG SORTER BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to aselector device, in particular a compartment selector device suited foruse in log sorters.

2. Description of the Prior Art In applicant's Finnish Pat. No. 37,227there is described a compartment selector device for log sorters havingrods moving synchronously with a sorting conveyor. The rods are verticaland move along the inside of the mantle of an upstanding cylinder. Eachrod is connected at both ends with adjacent rods and on each rod slidesare movable in the longitudinal direction of the rods. The inside of themantle of the cylinder has a plurality of horizontal grooves one uponthe other guiding the slides on the rods. There is also provided meansfor stopping the slide set into motion due to gravity by dropping itfrom the upper end of the rod at desired point on the rod and means forfurther transfer, electrically, of the pulse transmitted by the slide todesired triggering, counting or other elements, and governing elementsare arranged to move the slides which have been stopped on the rods totheir neutral initial position on the rods.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention the rods have beenmounted radially on a wheel rotating in vertical plane supported by abody. On the body on its side facing the rods there are grooves havingthe shape of the perimeter of a circle with different radius. Along thegrooves the slides or beads on the rods are guided to move and droppingof the slides to be positioned opposite to desired groove has beenarranged to take place advantageously at the highest point of thegrooves, where they have been cut in order to enable the slides to bedropped.

The object of the invention is to accomplish a simple, little spacerequiring and reliably operating mechanical electrical selector devicewhich by virtue of its simple design will be considerably less expensiveto manufacture than electrical and mechanical electrical selectordevices in present use.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows in part a selector deviceaccording to the invention, as seen from the side of the spoke wheel,

FIG. 2 is the section along the line II in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is the section along the line IIII in FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is the section along the line IIIIII in FIG. 2, and

FIG. 5 is the section along the line IV-IV in FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The principal components of theselector device are: 1, body, immovably mounted in vertical plane andhaving on one side a number of concentric groove tracks 5 and oneascending track 6,

2, spoke wheel, the shaft of which has been joumaled in the center ofthe groove tracks 5 and which rotates in step with the conveyor theoperation of which this selector device has been installed to control.The spoke wheel has radial, round spokes 8 on which there is a bead 9,which is free to move axially on the spoke and also in the groove tracks5,

3, limit switches, which have been placed in connection with the groovetracks 5 so that the bead moving in the groove track touches the limitswitch on passing it. The holders of limit switches 11 have been mountedon the body so that they can be positioned with reference to the groovetrack as operations require,

4, flap elements, which have been placed on the side opposite to thegroove track side on the body 1 in the upper part of the body, at thebead-dropping point 13, from where the beads are set free with the aidof the flap element 14 to drop along the spoke and are stopped oppositeto the desired groove track by action of the flap element 15, one ofwhich has been placed opposite to each groove track. The flap elementsare most easily actuated by means of an electromagnet.

MODE OF OPERATION When the conveyor runs empty, the selector device nothaving been given any control tasks, the spoke wheel 2 rotates in stepwith the conveyor and the beads travel, lifted by the ascending track 6,along the outermost groove track, without dropping at the point 13.

When a body or object is placed on the conveyor, to be transported to aspecified point, the flap l5 opposite to the groove track correspondingto said point is closed and flap 14 is opened, whereby the bead markingthe object to be transported can move along the spoke up to the flapthat is in closed position, and the bead is switched to travel in itsgroove track, which at a given point has a limit switch 3 on touchingwhich the bead initiates e.g., transfer of the object to be transportedfrom the conveyor to another conveyor, or equivalent. Subsequently, thebead arrives on the ascending track 6 and is ready for another controloperation. The device shown at 17 is equipment for correction of wrongcommands.

In its simplest form, the selector device must in its body have at leastas many groove tracks as there are action stations on the length of theconveyor, and the number of beads 9 must at least equal that of objectsbeing transported simultaneously on the conveyor at any given time. Inthe interest of smaller size of the selector device it is possible toadd on every spoke e.g., one (or several) beads 10 and for these beadstwo groove tracks 7 on the body and on each limit switch holder ll alimit switch 12. The flap element 16 is employed to direct theadditional head 10 into one groove track or the other, whereby theswitching capacity of the conveyor memory is doubled.

The advantage of this design e.g., with reference to the bead drumpresented in the Finnish Pat. No. 37,227 is its simple and far lessexpensive design and small space requirements, as well as also thepossibility of placing even two mechanisms on one shaft.

On the flap elements a dog 18 has been provided, on hitting which thebead or slide 9 returns the flap into its neutral initial position. Theflap element 14 is most appropriately provided with a spring 19 whichkeeps the flap normally closed, the flap being opened by the aid ofelectromagnet only when a bead is dropped.

The flap elements 15 are most appropriately divided in re gard to theiractuating elements on either side of the dropping point 13, although inthe interest of lucidity of the drawing all these elements have not beenshown in the drawing. Likewise, the limit switch holders 11 have notbeen shown in the drawings.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved compartment selector device in a log sorter, in whichrods are moving synchronously with a sorting conveyor and connected atboth ends with adjacent rods, on each rod slides are movable in thelongitudinal direction of the rods, means are provided for stopping theslide set into motion due to gravity by dropping it from the upper endof the rod at a desired point on the rod, electrical means are providedfor further transfer of a pulse transmitted by the slide to elementsplaced at desired points on the path of the rods, and controls arearranged to move the slides which have been stopped on the rods intotheir neutral initial position on the rods, wherein the improvementcomprises:

a body having on one side facing the rods a plurality of concentricgrooves having the shape of the perimeter of a circle; and

a wheel rotating in a vertical plane supported by the body and on whichthe rods have been mounted radially to guide the slides on the rodsalong the grooves, which grooves have been cut at the highest pointthereof in order to enable the slides to be dropped by gravity to theposition opposite the desired groove.

2. An improved compartment selector device as recited in claim 1,wherein on the end of each rod closer to the center of the wheel thereis another slide and in the body at this point there is a group of atleast two grooves with ancillary equipments for transferring the pulsetransmitted by the slide further to such elements as may be desired inorder to increase the alternatives of selection.

il l 1! l

1. An improved compartment selector device in a log sorter, in whichrods are moving synchronously with a sorting conveyor and connected atboth ends with adjacent rods, on each rod slides are movable in thelongitudinal direction of the rods, means are provided for stopping theslide set into motion due to gravity by dropping it from the upper endof the rod at a desired point on the rod, electrical means are providedfor further transfer of a pulse transmitted by the slide to elementsplaced at desired points on the path of the rods, and controls arearranged to move the slides which have been stopped on the rods intotheir neutral initial position on the rods, wherein the improvementcomprises: a body having on one side facing the rods a plurality ofconcentric grooves having the shape of the perimeter of a circle; and awheel rotating in a vertical plane supported by the body and on whichthe rods have been mounted radially to guide the slides on the rodsalong the grooves, which grooves have been cut at the highest pointthereof in order to enable the slides to be dropped by gravity to theposition opposite the desired groove.
 2. An improved compartmentselector device as recited in claim 1, wherein on the end of each rodcloser to the center of the wheel there is another slide and in the bodyat this point there is a group of at least two grooves with ancillaryequipments for transferring the pulse transmitted by the slide furtherto such elements as may be desired in order to increase the alternativesof selection.